This month: Dave Bainbridge
Q1 Your band Iona is named after the Scottish island. Which Irish missionary founded an abbey there in the sixth century?
DAVE BAINBRIDGE: That’ll be St Columba, in 563.
A: Perfectly correct.
Q2 Where and when did Iona’s debut gig take place?
DB: It was on the fringe of the Greenbelt Festival in 1989.
A: That was your first with singer Joanne Hogg, but your first show as Iona was actually in June 1989 at Thurston Upper School, Suffolk.
DB: Oh gosh, yes – it was just me and David [Fitzgerald]. I’d forgotten!
Q3 Before joining the band for the debut album in 1989, what was Joanne’s profession?
DB: Medicine – she was a doctor.
A: Correct.
Q4 Lyrics from which song on which album? ‘And in another realm beyond the plains of Earth and time/Where angels gaze upon the man of truth and light.’
DB: That’s from Matthew – The Man, from The Book Of Kells.
A: It is.
Q5 Which electronica band remixed the title track of Iona’s 1993 album Beyond These Shores for their record Hydro in 1995?
DB: Oh, it was our friend Robbie Bronnimann, who’s Howard Jones’ current keyboardist. Can’t remember the name of the band though…
A: dBA.
Q6 On 1996 album_ Journey Into The Morn_, which two songs featured Robert Fripp?
DB: The Search and… Bi-Se I Mo Shúil Part 1.
A: The Search and Divine Presence.
DB: He’d done loads of brilliant ambient guitar for Beyond These Shores, and let us put some of the unused parts on that.
Q7 Nick Beggs has played bass with Iona many times, but can you name his new band with Marco Minnemann and Roger King?
DB: The Mute Gods.
A: Correct.
Q8 In 1990 you played keyboard for blues great Buddy Guy at Burnley International Blues Festival. Which band were you in when he spotted you and offered you the gig?
DB: The Norman Beaker Band. Buddy was phenomenal – he had total control of the audience.
A: Correct.
Q9 In 2009 you wrote Iberian Fantasy For Guitar And Orchestra with which classical guitarist?
DB: Nick Fletcher.
A: It was.
Q10 What natural event delayed the recording of Iona’s current album, Another Realm?
DB: The ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano. We were recording in the Netherlands and the flights were cancelled.
A: Correct, it was Eyjafjallajökull. (Isn’t that a Magma B-side?)
General Prog
Q11 Besides Steve Howe, can you name any two of the other guitarists who have played in Yes?
DB: Yes. Tony Banks… No! Peter Banks, and of course Trevor Rabin.
A: And Billy Sherwood, and Trevor Horn played some too.
Q12 And what was Jon Anderson’s last studio album with Yes?
DB: Ooh. Keys To Ascension was a live album, so something like Magnification?
A: It was, in 2001.
Q13 Which album were Gentle Giant finishing up this time 40 years ago at Advision Studios?
DB: So that’s 1976 – that’ll be Interview. I saw them on that tour twice.
A: Correct.
Q14 And who remastered their brilliant Octopus album for its current deluxe reissue?
DB: That’ll be Steven Wilson.
A: It’s that man again…
Q15 Who’s the current pipes player in Nightwish?
DB: That’ll be my good mate Troy Donockley. In fact, I think he’s the only pipe player they’ve had.
A: Correct.
Q16 Which highly respected French avant-garde classical conductor/composer, famous in these parts for his work with Frank Zappa, died in January?
DB: Pierre Boulez.
A: He was a truly progressive artist.
Q17 Can you name the sole live album by the original Mahavishnu Orchestra line-up, released in 1973? DB: That’s Between Nothingness & Eternity.
A: It is.
Q18 And which Mahavishnu member produced Forest Of Feelings, the 1975 debut album by Tone, featuring ex-Springsteen musician David Sancious?
DB: I love Tone and that album, but can’t remember who produced it. Jan Hammer?
A: It was Billy Cobham.
Q19 Which Emerson Lake & Palmer album features their take on Sir Hubert Parry’s best-known work?
DB: Yes, Jerusalem – on Brain Salad Surgery.
A: It is.
Q20 Finally, can you name all the members of Flying Colors?
DB: Steve Morse, Neal Morse, Dave LaRue and Mike Portnoy.
A: And?
DB: Oh, of course – Casey McPherson!
A: He’s only the singer!
TOTAL: 17½/20
“Well that’s not too bad. I’ve always liked quizzes and quiz shows, but you don’t get that many prog questions on Eggheads!
